SWEETHEARTS Derek Horley and Margaret Drummond proved it's never too late to fall in love when they tied the knot at the weekend.

The pair, who are both in their 70s, married on Saturday, becoming Coventry and Warwickshire's most senior newly-weds.

Derek, who is 79-years-old and his new bride Margaret, 74, were joined by family and friends for the church ceremony.

Now the couple, who live in Foxes Way, Warwick, are looking forward to years of wedded bliss together.

They first met eight years ago through Derek's sister Brenda and became good friends before they started going out for meals and enjoying afternoons walking in the Burton Dassett Hills.

Margaret, who was widowed at the age of 50 when her first husband, Edward, died of a stroke, said: "From the moment I met Derek I really liked his sense of humour. He was really good natured and really caring.

"We hit it off from the start. We got on so well."

She added: "More recently Derek started talking about marriage and I thought why not.

"But we chose a church because I wouldn't feel as though I was married if it was in a register office."

The pair married at St Paul's Church in Stratford Road, Warwick, and enjoyed a reception with 42 family and friends - including Margaret's son Stuart and Derek's daughter Elizabeth - at the town's Lord Leycester Hotel.

The couple are set to enjoy a honeymoon in the early summer, courtesy of the Warwick Lions, who donated a free week in the Norfolk Broads.

Margaret said: "We were both so busy preparing for the wedding and there was so much going on that it hasn't really sunk in yet.

"It's quite a big event for people of our age. Of course you hear of people our age getting married, but very rarely is it in a church.

"But we didn't think it would feel the same without a big church wedding.

"It's one of the best parts."

The delighted bridegroom added: "I started thinking about it as it seemed like the right thing to do.

"Then I asked her out of the blue at home one day and we've been talking about it for the last six months. I'm looking forward to married life again."